Broncos need to bulk up on offense to protect Peyton Manning

The Broncos can do many things on offense. No team's coaches have proven that more over the last couple years than the Broncos' staff has.

To move from their offense with Kyle Orton to the read option with Tim Tebow to the current playbook with Peyton Manning in the span of 10 months is a Herculean football task.

So, it's to be expected, just 11 games into Manning's tenure at quarterback, they kick the tires on things from time to time. But they seem to be walking the line between what they want to do and perhaps what they should do.

Over the last two games they have played offense out of a three-wide receiver look almost exclusively. They have changed the look of things from time to time, the "window dressing" as some coaches call it, including lining up Trindon Holliday, as the third wide receiver, in the backfield for two plays against the Chiefs.

But save for four or snaps in the last two games combined, they have had three wide receivers in the formation all the time.

And if you seen the Broncos go to work on offense you know this is the formation Manning looks most comfortable in, the one the Broncos move the ball most efficiently in and the one that seems to give opposing defenses the most trouble.

But in light of one halftime concussion test administered to Manning, it may be time to close up the formation a bit, add a little more bulk, at least from time to time. Just, if for no other reason, to slow opposing rushers down.

A few punts are well worth keeping Manning clean.

Manning took a hard shot from Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston, the same guy who had sacked him earlier in the game, just before halftime. Manning's head/helmet struck the ground hard and as a result Manning was checked out at halftime by the team's medical staff.

He was cleared and he played the second half without incident, even throwing a picturesque 30-yard pass to Demaryius Thomas for a touchdown late in the third quarter. It was the kind of throw most quarterbacks can't make, and one Manning himself couldn't have made if he were the least bit wobbly.

And given he also has had spinal fusion surgery in his neck, he was also given X-rays following the game as a precaution.

Following the game Manning said "I'm fine," and he isn't expected to miss any practice time this week as the Broncos prepare for the Buccaneers.

But it does show where the line is on such a promising season.

When Manning grabbed his knee brace following an awkward slide in Carolina, you could feel the air go out of the team — offensive coordinator Mike McCoy said "I heard a lot of sighs" on the headset. And when he takes a hard hit like the one Sunday, it is simply a reminder of how important pass protection is going to be against defenses that may increasingly see coming after Manning as their only chance.

Defenses are rushing Manning a little more aggressively with the Broncos than they did in his last two seasons as a starter with the Colts. He was blitzed on 24 and 26 percent of his pass attempts in 2010 and 2009 respectively.

Defenses have blitzed him 29.3 percent of his pass attempts this season, a total that has been just over 30 percent for much of the season. So, opposing defensive coordinators see something in the Broncos offense that is making an aggressive approach an option in the rush that perhaps they didn't see when Manning was in his 12th and 13th years running the Colts offense.

Four of Manning's eight interceptions have come with extra rushers coming as well. So, the lure is there, despite Manning's next-level performance against the blitz over the years.

Defenses know they can't let him stand there and look them over.

So, they figure to roll the dice and the Broncos, who believe they are poised for big things, may have to close up the formation a little more from time to time to keep Manning out of harm's way.

Even if closing up the formation is not their, or Manning's, preference.

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